Monday, May 15, 2006

As reported by the Jakarta Post: "Former president Habibie has suggested the
government consider opening a casino on Batam to draw visitors to the
island. "He made the suggestion Tuesday during a gathering on Batam of local
figures and representatives of the Riau Island provincial administration.
"Habibie, who is also a former chairman of the Association of Indonesian
Muslim Scholars, urged ulema and the Batam city administration and
legislative council to study the possibility. ".The former president
recalled that in 1977 he made a verbal promise to then Singapore prime
minister Lee Kuan Yew not to open a casino on Batam, which is located near
the city-state. He said the logic behind this agreement was to avoid any
negative associations with Batam, which at the time was being transformed
into an industrial estate."